Does Rob Ford's removal mean his conservative agenda is ‘dead in the water’?

A disparate picture emerged Tuesday of the impact Rob Ford’s removal from office will have on his fiscally conservative agenda, with one ally suggesting it is “dead in the water” even as others voice optimism that council will stay the course.

Justice Charles Hackland’s decision that the mayor should vacate his seat over a conflict-of -interest violation has turned attention to members of his executive committee, tasked with carrying out Mr. Ford’s mandate.

“Where we go from here is the big question,” said Councillor David Shiner, a member of the executive committee. “And I think council will continue on that agenda because the majority of us believe in that.”

But Mr. Ford does come in for some criticism from his closest supporters.

“We’re definitely in a very difficult situation,” added Mr. Shiner. “In my 20 years sitting on a municipal council, I have never seen where a mayor is so distracted from his job. More distracted than I’ve seen any provincial or federal official.”

One ally, who agreed to be quoted but without attribution, said the mayor had “lost the moral authority” and added that the “agenda is dead in the water.”

Councillor Peter Milczyn echoed one part of that criticism, but disagreed with the other.

“Whether it’s Rob Ford or not Rob Ford, we’re all aligned similarly,” he said, on the executive committee’s dedication to the fiscal part of Ford’s agenda. “Obviously the mayor is not going to be, for the next little while, necessarily in a position of having the moral authority over council, over the city,” he said.

“The core executive team, we’re very focused on the budget, on seeing that through as the mayor would have wanted, so we’re not going to be shaken on that,” he said. “I don’t really see anything changing.”

Obviously the mayor is not going to be, for the next little while, necessarily in a position of having the moral authority over council

While it hasn’t been easy, the Ford administration has secured support for key aspects of his 2010 campaign platform: reeling in union contracts, outsourcing trash collection, controlling spending and tackling the debt.

Councillor Jaye Robinson expects those fiscal goals will remain, but described recent events as “the ultimate distraction.” She pointed to the hundreds of thousands of people who voted for him because of the fiscal agenda that he set out.

“I think that agenda is still on track, but absolutely this is a distraction, this is a major setback,” she said. “But I think most of us are steadfast about that agenda. All of us ran on a similar agenda related to the fiscal responsibility piece.”

Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong has carefully chosen his words, refusing to say on Monday whether he would appear at a press conference next to the mayor. Asked whether the mayor should abandon his appeal or step aside, as others have suggested, he said, “It’s a distraction on council. Council needs to focus in on the business of the city.”